Life-expectancy gap closing across Europe

Latest life-expectancy figures from Europe suggest that the gap between male and female life expectancy is closing. Men are catching up.

Between 1995 and 2003 life expectancy at birth rose in all 14 European countries by on average 3 months each year for men and 2 months for women, according to a report from the first year's work of the European Health Expectancy Monitoring Unit

Portugal had the lowest life expectancy at birth for men - almost 4 years less than the highest (Sweden). Women's life expectancy was lowest in Denmark and highest in France.